The Los Angeles Dodgers shut down Corey Seager from swinging last week and decided to slow-play it after he “plateaued” in his recovery process.
Seager, who has been out since May 16 due to a right-hand fracture, was expected to begin a rehab assignment in late June before the scans on his hand showed the fracture was not fully healed.
Now, Seager is swinging the bat again and will begin taking at-bats again soon, according to manager Dave Roberts.
“I saw him in the cage the last couple days hitting off of a coach, so it’s been good,” Roberts said before Tuesday’s game against the Miami Marlins. “I think he was up to 40 swings the last couple days. So that’s a good thing. Our expectation is sometime shortly after the break he’ll be active and taking at-bats to be ready to be back with us sometime shortly.”
On June 30, the Dodgers transfered Seager to the 60-day injured list, which guaranteed he would be out until at least July 15, the day before the Dodgers begin the second half of the season against the Colorado Rockies.
Once Seager is able to swing the bat without soreness or pain, Roberts expects to get Seager back in the lineup quickly because he has been participating in baseball activities during his time on the IL.
This season, the reigning World Series MVP has hit .265/.361/.422 with four home runs, 20 runs, 22 runs batted in, a 121 wRC+ and 0.7 WAR in 37 games. This is his final year of club control before reaching free agency this winter.
Dodgers make a pair of roster moves
The Dodgers announced on Tuesday that they designated Steven Souza Jr. for assignment and selected the contract of right-handed reliever Jake Reed, who will be making his MLB debut when he gets into a game.
The team also placed Victor Gonzalez on the 10-Day IL with left plantar fasciitis and recalled Garrett Cleavinger.
Cleavinger was just optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City a few days ago but he was eligible to return because he replaced an injured player.
With a bullpen game scheduled for Wednesday, the Dodgers needed the extra arms in the pen.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events and more!
